The present invention relates to a template, more particularly to a template which may be used to position pipework in a wall correctly for attachment to a wall mounted unit such as a shower mixing unit or a gas water boiler.
Previously, in other fields of technology, various types of template have been proposed.
GB-A-2231306 discloses a template for use in cutting out a letter box opening. The template comprises a flat metal plate having a rectangular opening corresponding to the dimensions of the letter box opening, two locating pins extending from one face of the plate and two guide holes corresponding to the two locating pins. The guide holes are used to drill holes in a door and then the template is mounted on the door by inserting the locating pins into the holes in the door. The template may then be secured to the door by screws extending from the other side of the door into the locating pins. With the template so secured, the rectangular opening may be used to guide a tool in cutting the letter box opening.
GB-A-2229391 discloses a channel section template which fits over the edge of a door. In its base, an aperture is provided for marking or cutting out a recess required for a door lock and, in its sides, holes are provided for marking or cutting holes in the door for other elements of the lock. This device is retained firmly on the edge of the door by means of the two opposing side walls which grip opposite faces of the door.
Previously, for positioning pipework in walls, there have been provided paper or cardboard templates. Where units such as shower mixing units, radiators, boilers, etc are to be mounted on a wall, the templates are often supplied as part of the instructions or packaging of the units. Such templates are cut or removed from the instructions or packaging and held against the wall, possibly by means of masking tape and such like. The templates provide markings which can be transferred to the wall such that holes for pipework and mounting screws can be drilled in the wall at the correct positions for the corresponding wall mounted unit.
These previous templates are not straightforward to use. It is difficult to transfer the markings to the wall accurately, particularly while ensuring that the template maintains its correct orientation. Furthermore, once the wall is marked, correct positioning of the various mounting holes and pipework holes is limited by the skill of the person drilling the holes.
Whilst drilling small, screw holes with sufficient accuracy may be relatively easy, drilling larger holes, for instance for pipes, can be more difficult as larger drill bits have a tendency to move from where they are intended to drill.
Neither the template of GB-A-2231306, nor that of GB-A-2229391 provides any suitable alternative, since both templates require access to both sides of the member on which they are to be mounted. On the one hand, GB-A-2231306 requires screws to be attached to the locating pins from an opposite face of the member and, on the other hand, GB-A-2229391 requires the template to be clipped around the edge of the member. Furthermore, neither of these documents describes templates for large circular apertures, but only rectangular apertures which are sufficiently large for a tool to be inserted and guided along individual edges of the template aperture.
Another problem, associated particularly with pipes extending from walls where they are to be inserted into units such as shower wall units, is to make them the correct length. Measuring and cutting lengths by hand can be acceptable, but can lead to shoddy workmanship. The connecting units may need to be designed to accept greater tolerances, for instance in the straightness of cut or length of pipe.